San Francisco Opera's Grand Opera Cinema Series to Air on KQED Public Television

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San Francisco Opera's Madama Butterfly, Don Giovanni, Samson and Delilah and La Rondine to Air On KQED Public Television, August 26 - September 23, 2010

San Francisco Opera today announced plans to return to KQED Public Television 9, Northern California’s preeminent public broadcast station, with four grand operas recorded live in high definition at the historic War Memorial Opera House. The four opera series for television will be distinguished by program host Rita Moreno, a celebrated artist and recipient of the four most coveted awards in the entertainment industry: the Oscar, Tony, Emmy, and Grammy.

Each airing will be enhanced with backstage interviews with singers, conductors, directors and other members of the artistic and creative team in order to offer greater perspective on the music and production of each opera to the audience. Madama Butterfly, Don Giovanni, La Rondine and Samson and Delilah will presented in their original languages and will feature English subtitles. Each opera will air beginning on a Thursday evening at 8 p.m., with numerous additional airings in subsequent days; check local listings for complete information.

“San Francisco Opera’s return to KQED TV promises to be a thrilling experience, and I couldn’t be happier to showcase four of our operas recorded in high definition. I’m very proud of our broadcast series and believe it will translate well for television, providing many more viewers the opportunity to experience the grandeur of San Francisco Opera.” - David Gockley, general director of San Francisco Opera.

San Francisco Opera’s Grand Opera Cinema Series on KQED Public Television coincides with the opening of the Company’s 88th season, beginning September 10, 2010. The cinema series is one of the many electronic media initiatives launched under the direction of General Director David Gockley. These include the Company’s free live simulcasts, one of the first innovations of Gockley’s tenure and part of the Company’s campaign to bring opera into the community. Since 2006, San Francisco Opera has presented seven free live simulcasts at venues throughout the Bay Area, including San Francisco ’s AT&T Park , for nearly 120,000 fans. San Francisco Opera’s simulcasts and cinemacasts are made possible through the technology of the Company’s Koret-Taube Media Suite, the first permanent HD broadcast-standard video production facility installed in an American opera house.

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